With Trump’s recent victory in the presidential election and Republicans securing majorities in both the House and Senate, Democrats face an uphill battle to regain political standing. But losing their sense of humanity is not the way to do it. Human beings are wired for tribalism. From our earliest days, our ancestors formed groups for survival, where loyalty meant protection and betrayal could mean death. In the modern world, this tribal instinct has transformed into a political partisanship so extreme that it can override even the most fundamental aspects of human empathy. When loyalty to a party becomes more important than recognizing shared struggles, we are no longer engaging in politics—we are succumbing to a dangerous, self-imposed blindness.
Nothing illustrated this disturbing reality more than the refusal of Democrats to stand, clap, or acknowledge the guests honored by President Donald Trump—Americans who had suffered profound tragedy or triumphed against the odds.
What should have been a moment of shared humanity turned into a psychological case study on how political identity can override moral instincts and values.
The Guests Who Deserved Recognition—But Were Ignored
The individuals honored by Trump were not political figures. They were not policymakers pushing an agenda. They were survivors, victims, and heroes:
- The family of Laken Riley, a young woman brutally murdered, sparking a national debate on violent crime and immigration.
- The family of Jocelyn Nungaray, a 12-year-old girl murdered, allegedly by men in the U.S. without legal status.
- The family of Corey Comperatore, the firefighter killed in the assassination attempt on Trump.
- Marc Fogel, a teacher imprisoned in Russia for nearly three years before being freed.
- DJ Daniels, a young boy diagnosed with terminal brain cancer, given only months to live, who defied all expectations. In recognition of his resilience, Trump made him an honorary Secret Service officer.
- Payton McNabb, a former North Carolina high school athlete who was severely injured by a transgender opponent during a volleyball match in 2022.
These individuals, by any normal human measure, deserved recognition—not as political pawns, but as people who had faced extraordinary challenges. Yet, Democratic politicians sat frozen, refusing to acknowledge them.
Even Democratic-leaning MSNBC discounted the moment for DJ as a hoax on national television!
Why? The answer lies deep in the human psyche.
Moral Disengagement—How People Justify Ignoring Suffering
Why do people sometimes turn a blind eye to suffering, even when it’s right in front of them? Psychologist Albert Bandura’s concept of moral disengagement explains how individuals rationalize behavior that contradicts their own moral values. Instead of feeling guilt or empathy, they mentally distance themselves from the situation, allowing them to ignore or even justify actions they might otherwise condemn.
During Trump’s event, Democratic politicians who refused to stand may have experienced moral disengagement in action. Rather than acknowledging the human suffering being highlighted, they likely reframed the situation in a way that aligned with their political beliefs. Their internal dialogue may have sounded something like this:
- “Trump is just using these people for political gain.”
- “This whole thing is a partisan stunt.”
- “I refuse to play into his agenda.”
By shifting the focus away from the actual individuals involved and onto Trump’s motives, they were able to sidestep any personal conflict. If they saw the guests as mere political props rather than real people, it became easier to dismiss them.
Moral disengagement works by creating psychological barriers that separate people from their natural sense of empathy. In this case, those barriers allowed certain politicians to prioritize party loyalty over the simple act of recognizing another human’s hardship. Rather than confronting the uncomfortable truth that their political stance might conflict with their moral instincts, they found justifications that eased their discomfort.
This mental detachment isn’t unique to politics—it happens in everyday life. People disengage morally when they dismiss the suffering of those outside their social or political group, when they dehumanize opponents, or when they justify harmful actions in the name of a greater cause. The ability to rationalize inaction or indifference is a powerful psychological tool, one that can keep people firmly in their ideological bubbles—even at the cost of their own humanity.
A Moment of Reflection—Have We Become Too Partisan to Be Human?
What we witnessed was not just another display of political theater—it was something far more troubling. It was a stark reminder of how partisanship can override the most basic expressions of human decency.
This should alarm everyone, regardless of political affiliation. When elected officials can suppress their natural instincts of empathy, not because they disagree with a policy but because they fear how it might look to their base, we have to ask ourselves: what else will they ignore?
If standing in recognition of a child who defied terminal cancer is now considered a political act, what does that say about the state of our discourse? If acknowledging a grieving family, mourning the assassination of a loved one, is seen as aligning with the opposition, then what does that say about our leadership? If even the release of an unjustly imprisoned American cannot be met with bipartisan relief and celebration, then have we reached a point where we are no longer a country bound by shared values, but merely divided factions clinging to political survival?
This moment revealed something deeper than mere division; it showed us that for too many in power, winning is more important than decency. Political survival matters more than moral clarity. And we, as a society, are at risk of losing something fundamental—our ability to see one another as human beings first.
